“Hard work never goes on sale.”
There are many things unique to CrossFit I love. When I say unique, I’m not suggesting that nowhere else in the world does anyone do these things. No need to do a google search to prove me wrong. I mean they are part of the CrossFit culture. In other words, no matter which CrossFit gym you belong to, you’ll identify and connect with them. I love our language - Mechanics, consistency, intensity; WOD (Workout of the Day); AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible). I love the definition of CrossFit – constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement. I love the components of CrossFit – Monostructural (Cardio), Weightlifting, and Gymnastics. But what I think I love most is the countdown clock. There is something about looking up at the clock and hearing the coach say, “ten seconds.” I get this little rush of adrenaline every time. And as I hear the final beep on the clock and the coach shouts, “go,” I know it’s time to go to work.
As a coach, one of the ways I can tell how new athletes are going to progress is by their desire to work. It’s ok to be afraid of the unknown. It’s ok to fear work. But that’s why we train together. We see others embrace the very things we fear, and it gives us confidence we can attempt them as well. However, if an athlete’s attitude toward work is one of disdain or contempt, they’re in trouble. Because here’s the secret to fitness, you ready? Hard work. Consistent hard work. If you don’t like work, stop looking for fitness, because you’re not going to find it. I would much rather coach an athlete who’s hungry to work versus one who “knows what they need.” Honestly, if you knew what you needed, you wouldn’t walk in the door. When you join a high-quality CrossFit gym, you’re joining a community of people, coaches included, who love to work. The reason – because work is what gets it done. If you let the work work.
Ok, so what does that really mean, to let the work work. Work is simply a stimulus. When you perform any kind of physical activity, you stimulate your muscles and engage your aerobic system. This is baseline work. To let the work really work, you must recognize there’s a war going on inside your brain as well. Sometimes the war starts just by looking at tomorrow’s workout on your phone. “Overhead squats? Maybe I need a recovery day.” When you allow the work to work, you engage both your brain and your brawn. You recognize the value work plays in transforming your life. You stay present in your workouts and interact with them. You draw inspiration from athletes around you and look for ways to be encouraging. This is the communal effect of a great CrossFit gym. And fitness is not the only outcome. So are durability and resiliency. One day, you realize you don’t care so much about what the workout is as you do about finding ways to get better from the work you’re about to do.
Spiritual Fitness is the same way. When I teach athletes spiritual exercises such as prayer, meditation, or fasting, I’m introducing them to the work. These exercises are the stimulus for engaging the soul and ultimately transforming your spiritual life. But I’ve known plenty of people who meditate or pray or even fast yet see no real changes in their spiritual lives. They still have anxiety, they still worry about the future, they still think their career defines them, or worst of all, they think this is as good as it’s ever going to get. Has this ever been you? To be spiritually fit, you have to let the work work. And that starts with God. If God isn’t the focal point for your spiritual exercises, you’ll always come up short. You’ve got to make daily Bible reading a way of life. How else are you to know the Creator of the universe and how in love He is with you? And you must do a good portion of your spiritual training with others. People who tell me they prefer to do their spiritual work alone are like those who buy some fitness equipment for their garage. You may see some results, but you’ll never truly discover fulfillment in life. It’s a community thing. You need to be challenged and pushed by others. You need to speak your fears and insecurities out loud. This is how you let spiritual work really work.
Let me cast some vision for your life. Imagine one day lying in bed on a Monday morning. Your alarm has just gone off and you’re taking a few moments to collect your thoughts before your feet hit the ground. As you do, the anticipation and excitement for the day begins to build. The countdown clock starts. While most people are lamenting the fact the weekend is over, you realize this is the start of another great day. God has something incredible planned for your life. Your spiritual workout of the day is As Many Blessings As Possible. While you may not know what the day holds, you know this is your opportunity to let the work work.
Questions for Reflection:
What does it mean to you to spiritually train with others? What’s been your experience?
How does an understanding of the bigger picture change the value of work? What are the biggest barriers to realizing the value of work, both physical and spiritual?